Allegheny College senior Andrew Nunn has been awarded a Pennsylvania House Fellowship, which will take him to the state Capitol, allowing him to gain insight into the people, issues and politics of the legislative process.

Created in 1982 by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Bipartisan Management Committee, the program gives college students a close-up look at the daily workings of government in Harrisburg. Legislative fellows get to attend hearings, committee meetings and the legislative session, as well as conduct research and draft bill analyses.

As a final project, each fellow will research and then draft a piece of legislation to present to the House. Each fellow is placed either in a leadership office or in the office of a committee chairman. Nunn will likely be placed on either the Education or Urban Affairs Committee, based on his interests and experience.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Allegheny students have been selected for the fellowship. “It provides an unparalleled up-close experience with state-level politics,” said Patrick Jackson, director of Fellowship Advising at Allegheny. Jackson has helped students through the application process for the House Fellowship, as well as other competitive awards and fellowships.

Nunn, who is from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, will begin the fellowship in January 2018. He is a psychology major and education studies minor, and is a Bonner Scholar and Alden Scholar on campus. Nunn has classroom teaching experience through a fellowship with Breakthrough San Francisco, a national program working to increase academic opportunity for highly motivated but underserved students, and was an AmeriCorps volunteer in 2015–16 in Washington, D.C.

“My experiences of the inequities of our educational system have pushed me toward education,” said Nunn, “which resulted in me taking a break from Allegheny to teach fifth-grade math and English language arts in Washington, D.C., as well as becoming a teaching fellow with Breakthrough San Francisco. It is this passion for education that has brought me to pursuing a Pennsylvania House Fellowship not by chance, but by an understanding that this is a necessary path for my journey if I want to have a major influence on the many educational disparities of public education — a path that will be full of challenges, learning and new experiences all directed toward action.”

After college, Nunn plans to seek a teaching residency and eventually become an educator in the public school system. He is pursuing several residency programs and has applied for an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright Scholarship to teach in South Korea in 2018–19.

“Andy is going to use the Pennsylvania House Fellowship to gain some experience thinking about education policy,” Jackson said. “He already has quite an impressive teaching record, but he’s interested in serious reform, which can only happen by pulling the levers of government. Given what he’s already accomplished, I’d say Andy is on his way to being a leader in some school system somewhere. Any district in America would be lucky to employ him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wound up in a position of real influence in the coming decades.”

Said Nunn: “Essentially, I’m pursuing this fellowship because of what I hope to gain. In general, this fellowship is going to be an experience unlike anything I’ve ever done. So with that comes an abundance of knowledge I am able to gain. More specifically, if I want to have a major influence on the many educational disparities — funding, retention and teacher education to name a few — I must know the legislative process. The Pennsylvania House Fellowship will provide me with an avenue to directly understand this process, and begin my work toward changing the structure of our educational system.”
____________________________________________________

If you are interested in applying for the Pennsylvania House Fellowship for the upcoming year, contact Patrick Jackson at pjackson@allegheny.edu and visit http://www.pahousefellowship.us/ for more information about the fellowship.

Allegheny College senior Andrew Nunn has been awarded a Pennsylvania House Fellowship, which will take him to the state Capitol, allowing him to gain insight into the people, issues and politics of the legislative process.

Created in 1982 by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Bipartisan Management Committee, the program gives college students a close-up look at the daily workings of government in Harrisburg. Legislative fellows get to attend hearings, committee meetings and the legislative session, as well as conduct research and draft bill analyses.

As a final project, each fellow will research and then draft a piece of legislation to present to the House. Each fellow is placed either in a leadership office or in the office of a committee chairman. Nunn will likely be placed on either the Education or Urban Affairs Committee, based on his interests and experience.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Allegheny students have been selected for the fellowship. “It provides an unparalleled up-close experience with state-level politics,” said Patrick Jackson, Director of Fellowship Advising at Allegheny. Jackson has helped students through the application process for the House Fellowship, as well as other competitive awards and fellowships.

Nunn, who is from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, will begin the fellowship in January 2018. He is a psychology major and education studies minor, and is a Bonner Scholar and Alden Scholar on campus. Nunn has classroom teaching experience through a fellowship with Breakthrough San Francisco, a national program working to increase academic opportunity for highly motivated but underserved students, and was an AmeriCorps volunteer in 2015–16 in Washington, D.C.

“My experiences of the inequities of our educational system have pushed me toward education,” said Nunn, “which resulted in me taking a break from Allegheny to teach fifth-grade math and English language arts in Washington, D.C., as well as becoming a teaching fellow with Breakthrough San Francisco. It is this passion for education that has brought me to pursuing a Pennsylvania House Fellowship not by chance, but by an understanding that this is a necessary path for my journey if I want to have a major influence on the many educational disparities of public education — a path that will be full of challenges, learning and new experiences all directed toward action.”

After college, Nunn plans to seek a teaching residency and eventually become an educator in the public school system. He is pursuing several residency programs and has applied for an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright Scholarship to teach in South Korea in 2018–19.

“Andy is going to use the Pennsylvania House Fellowship to gain some experience thinking about education policy,” Jackson said. “He already has quite an impressive teaching record, but he’s interested in serious reform, which can only happen by pulling the levers of government. Given what he’s already accomplished, I’d say Andy is on his way to being a leader in some school system somewhere. Any district in America would be lucky to employ him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wound up in a position of real influence in the coming decades.”

Said Nunn: “Essentially, I’m pursuing this fellowship because of what I hope to gain. In general, this fellowship is going to be an experience unlike anything I’ve ever done. So with that comes an abundance of knowledge I am able to gain. More specifically, if I want to have a major influence on the many educational disparities — funding, retention and teacher education to name a few — I must know the legislative process. The Pennsylvania House Fellowship will provide me with an avenue to directly understand this process, and begin my work toward changing the structure of our educational system.”
____________________________________________________

If you are interested in applying for the Pennsylvania House Fellowship for the upcoming year, contact Patrick Jackson at pjackson@allegheny.edu and visit http://www.pahousefellowship.us/ for more information about the fellowship.

Allegheny College graduate Lynn McUmber has helped transform the Crawford County Mental Health Awareness Program (CHAPS) from a small drop-in center more than two decades ago into a countywide agency that now serves more than 800 clients annually.

McUmber, Allegheny Class of 1978, has served as the executive director of CHAPS for the past 22 years. After graduating, she began work in various social work positions, with focuses ranging from intellectual disabilities to child welfare to Active Aging. It was when she transitioned to housing and homelessness that she found a greater passion for her work.

“When I returned to Meadville, in working at the county office, I saw how many individuals who experienced mental illness here were in very, very poor living conditions, and really had very little community support,” McUmber says.

“I was able to convince the county office to allow me to focus on that issue, of housing and decent affordable housing for persons with disabilities, especially mental illness,” she says. “That was the beginning of a career of exploring what opportunities are out there, and looking into a system and starting to develop a network of an array of services that would help individuals who have experienced mental illness, and/or individuals who are homeless or near homeless, access affordable housing and be successful in maintaining that housing.”

CHAPS was initially founded in 1988 as a small drop-in center that opened one evening a week for receiving services as a peer-support group but away from clinical oversight.

McUmber joined the program in 1990 and was able to bring her work with the county to CHAPS to begin to focus on housing opportunities. At first it was led by a board of equal members, but by 1995 McUmber was voted into the executive position.
CHAPS has since expanded to offer a range of services that still include the drop-in center, although now it is open daily.

There is also the Community Education and Outreach program (CEO) which hosts various peer- or family-support groups and education programs; Mobile Psychiatric Rehabilitation, which assists members in accessing resources and building skills to be as independent as possible; Housing Solutions, which connect homeless individuals with affordable, permanent housing, and help them develop skills and resources needed to maintain that housing; and the Journey Center, where both staff and members collaborate on projects in jobs such as receptionist work, outreach, publication or data collection. In addition, every year the organization holds a Walk-A-Thon, its fall fundraiser in which volunteers complete a three-mile walk and are sponsored by local businesses who donate monetary pledges.

“Lynn is continually dedicated to the growth of CHAPS,” says Amanda Burke, program coordinator for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program and Peer Support Program, and a CHAPS employee for the past 10 years. “She remains open-minded and mission-driven when seeking new funding sources and new programming opportunities. She has worked tirelessly to increase the number of services CHAPS can offer the community. She has a true passion for this work as evidenced by her continued efforts to advance the agency’s mission and goals.”

“We always look at ‘what is the need?,’ and then we try and meet that need,” McUmber says. “We always made sure not to chase programs. We are a consumer agency, so everyone shares in identifying what’s needed and decision-making.”

CHAPS’ primary mission has been to provide support for individuals with mental illness, but the agency has been able to expand that to a secondary mission — providing opportunities for individuals and families who are homeless or near homeless, because the two often occur simultaneously.

Burke says the variety of services offered is what makes CHAPS especially successful and vital in Meadville. “We pride ourselves on being a safe and accepting place for people to come and receive the support they are in need of,” she says. “We highly value the many community partnerships we have with other agencies and providers as well.”

McUmber graduated as a psychology and speech major from Allegheny, but says the experience and understanding she gained from the community service are what led her to CHAPS. “The skills and gifts I received were not so much in social matter, but the ability to collaborate and think outside the box,” she says. She has been able to implement those skills in a different approach to mental health care, one intended to address all areas of a person’s life, and focus on recovery and the individual’s gifts.

“If you think about a person’s life and all of the areas of their life that they’re about, mental illness has been thought about as how an individual needs to go to a doctor and get medication. We try and address all the other areas of a person’s life, which includes their housing, what your income is, do you have friendships, do you have a purpose in life, be it a job, volunteer work, somewhere you’re needed? Do you have the skills that you need to manage your home and your finances? Your spirituality, your family, your friends. Mental illness brings a lot of loss in different areas, and we try and create opportunities through programming so people can regain those things.”

McUmber’s work can be clearly seen in CHAPS’ impact today. Last year, the group served 810 individuals; helped 187 households establish permanent housing; had 114 members actively volunteering; and through the Journey Center, helped 40 members gain employment in the community. Many of the workers at CHAPS have experienced some form of mental illness as well or came to CHAPS in a time of need, and through their programs have made great strides and are now trained in administering those same programs.

“Lynn is an excellent leader and director,” Burke says. “She has made it her life’s work to improve the lives of those who come through CHAPS and the community as a whole. She has the ability to find the good in every situation and identify the gifts and strengths of those around her. She is kind, caring, funny and empathetic. It is my honor to work alongside her as well as learn and grow from her experience.”

Says McUmber: “This has been a wonderful life. As far as a job goes, it’s been an incredible opportunity to be a part of this movement. CHAPS evolved in a slow process, but blossomed out mindfully. And I’ve developed so many long-lasting friendships and have seen such amazing and great things happen in people’s lives.”

Allegheny College graduate Lynn McUmber has helped transform the Crawford County Mental Health Awareness Program (CHAPS) from a small drop-in center more than two decades ago into a countywide agency that now serves more than 800 clients annually.

McUmber, Allegheny Class of 1978, has served as the executive director of CHAPS for the past 22 years. After graduating, she began work in various social work positions, with focuses ranging from intellectual disabilities to child welfare to Active Aging. It was when she transitioned to housing and homelessness that she found a greater passion for her work.

“When I returned to Meadville, in working at the county office, I saw how many individuals who experienced mental illness here were in very, very poor living conditions, and really had very little community support,” McUmber says.

“I was able to convince the county office to allow me to focus on that issue, of housing and decent affordable housing for persons with disabilities, especially mental illness,” she says. “That was the beginning of a career of exploring what opportunities are out there, and looking into a system and starting to develop a network of an array of services that would help individuals who have experienced mental illness, and/or individuals who are homeless or near homeless, access affordable housing and be successful in maintaining that housing.”

CHAPS was initially founded in 1988 as a small drop-in center that opened one evening a week for receiving services as a peer-support group but away from clinical oversight.

McUmber joined the program in 1990 and was able to bring her work with the county to CHAPS to begin to focus on housing opportunities. At first it was led by a board of equal members, but by 1995 McUmber was voted into the executive position.
CHAPS has since expanded to offer a range of services that still include the drop-in center, although now it is open daily.

There is also the Community Education and Outreach program (CEO) which hosts various peer- or family-support groups and education programs; Mobile Psychiatric Rehabilitation, which assists members in accessing resources and building skills to be as independent as possible; Housing Solutions, which connect homeless individuals with affordable, permanent housing, and help them develop skills and resources needed to maintain that housing; and the Journey Center, where both staff and members collaborate on projects in jobs such as receptionist work, outreach, publication or data collection. In addition, every year the organization holds a Walk-A-Thon, its fall fundraiser in which volunteers complete a three-mile walk and are sponsored by local businesses who donate monetary pledges.

“Lynn is continually dedicated to the growth of CHAPS,” says Amanda Burke, program coordinator for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program and Peer Support Program, and a CHAPS employee for the past 10 years. “She remains open-minded and mission-driven when seeking new funding sources and new programming opportunities. She has worked tirelessly to increase the number of services CHAPS can offer the community. She has a true passion for this work as evidenced by her continued efforts to advance the agency’s mission and goals.”

“We always look at ‘what is the need?,’ and then we try and meet that need,” McUmber says. “We always made sure not to chase programs. We are a consumer agency, so everyone shares in identifying what’s needed and decision-making.”

CHAPS’ primary mission has been to provide support for individuals with mental illness, but the agency has been able to expand that to a secondary mission — providing opportunities for individuals and families who are homeless or near homeless, because the two often occur simultaneously.

Burke says the variety of services offered is what makes CHAPS especially successful and vital in Meadville. “We pride ourselves on being a safe and accepting place for people to come and receive the support they are in need of,” she says. “We highly value the many community partnerships we have with other agencies and providers as well.”

McUmber graduated as a psychology and speech major from Allegheny, but says the experience and understanding she gained from the community service are what led her to CHAPS. “The skills and gifts I received were not so much in social matter, but the ability to collaborate and think outside the box,” she says. She has been able to implement those skills in a different approach to mental health care, one intended to address all areas of a person’s life, and focus on recovery and the individual’s gifts.

“If you think about a person’s life and all of the areas of their life that they’re about, mental illness has been thought about as how an individual needs to go to a doctor and get medication. We try and address all the other areas of a person’s life, which includes their housing, what your income is, do you have friendships, do you have a purpose in life, be it a job, volunteer work, somewhere you’re needed? Do you have the skills that you need to manage your home and your finances? Your spirituality, your family, your friends. Mental illness brings a lot of loss in different areas, and we try and create opportunities through programming so people can regain those things.”

McUmber’s work can be clearly seen in CHAPS’ impact today. Last year, the group served 810 individuals; helped 187 households establish permanent housing; had 114 members actively volunteering; and through the Journey Center, helped 40 members gain employment in the community. Many of the workers at CHAPS have experienced some form of mental illness as well or came to CHAPS in a time of need, and through their programs have made great strides and are now trained in administering those same programs.

“Lynn is an excellent leader and director,” Burke says. “She has made it her life’s work to improve the lives of those who come through CHAPS and the community as a whole. She has the ability to find the good in every situation and identify the gifts and strengths of those around her. She is kind, caring, funny and empathetic. It is my honor to work alongside her as well as learn and grow from her experience.”

Says McUmber: “This has been a wonderful life. As far as a job goes, it’s been an incredible opportunity to be a part of this movement. CHAPS evolved in a slow process, but blossomed out mindfully. And I’ve developed so many long-lasting friendships and have seen such amazing and great things happen in people’s lives.”

Professor of Psychology Juvia Heuchert delivered an invited keynote address entitled “African Contributions to Peace Psychology” at the 1st Pan-African Psychology Congress in Durban, South Africa from September 18-21. This historic congress was the first time ever in which psychologists from across Africa gathered to deliberate on psychological issues specific to Africa, as well as more general themes related to human rights, inequality, and well-being. Dr. Heuchert was the only African keynote speaker invited from outside Africa to address the congress. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDXSi1iP6tc .

Professor of Psychology Juvia Heuchert delivered an invited keynote address entitled “African Contributions to Peace Psychology” at the 1st Pan-African Psychology Congress in Durban, South Africa from September 18-21. This historic congress was the first time ever in which psychologists from across Africa gathered to deliberate on psychological issues specific to Africa, as well as more general themes related to human rights, inequality, and well-being. Dr. Heuchert was the only African keynote speaker invited from outside Africa to address the congress. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDXSi1iP6tc .

Ariel L. York ‘16 and Professor Rod Clark of the Psychology Department and program in Neuroscience presented a poster of York’s senior thesis, “A Frequency Count of Disguised Mands in Preschool Children: Effects of Socioeconomic Status,” at the 43rd annual Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) conference held in Denver, Colorado in May 2017.

Delaney W. Arbore ’19 and Clark presented a poster titled “An application of Behavioral Momentum Equations to the Game of Basketball” at the 40th annual Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior (SQAB) conference, also in Denver in May. York, Alexis Sotelo ’20, and Clark also presented a poster from a sequence of independent study projects titled “Acquisition of Schedule-controlled responding under the Valproic Acid (VPA) rat model of Autism” at the conference.

Ariel L. York ‘16 and Professor Rod Clark of the Psychology Department and program in Neuroscience presented a poster of York’s senior thesis, “A Frequency Count of Disguised Mands in Preschool Children: Effects of Socioeconomic Status,” at the 43rd annual Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) conference held in Denver, Colorado in May 2017.

Delaney W. Arbore ’19 and Clark presented a poster titled “An application of Behavioral Momentum Equations to the Game of Basketball” at the 40th annual Society for the Quantitative Analysis of Behavior (SQAB) conference, also in Denver in May. York, Alexis Sotelo ’20, and Clark also presented a poster from a sequence of independent study projects titled “Acquisition of Schedule-controlled responding under the Valproic Acid (VPA) rat model of Autism” at the conference.

Nadiya Wahl ’17 presented her senior project research at the “Undergraduate Research at the Capitol Conference” in Harrisburg on April 25. She won first place in the Arts, Humanities, Business, and Social and Behavioral Sciences Division for her comp, titled “Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science: An Empirical Look into Chakra Meditation.” Her research advisor is Professor of Psychology Joshua Searle-White.

Nadiya Wahl ’17 presented her senior project research at the “Undergraduate Research at the Capitol Conference” in Harrisburg on April 25. She won first place in the Arts, Humanities, Business, and Social and Behavioral Sciences Division for her comp, titled “Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science: An Empirical Look into Chakra Meditation.” Her research advisor is Professor of Psychology Joshua Searle-White.